Scharmbeck’s Harvest Festival has been held every year since 1949, around the first Sunday in September, and lasts four days. The date gives a trip to Scharmbeck a clear seasonal focus; if you are looking for a holiday apartment, you can use the festival days as a starting point for planning your stay.
Harvest Festival: Parade, Straw Castle and Tradition
The parade features around 20 elaborately decorated themed floats. Most are pulled by vintage tractors; marching bands and groups on foot accompany the procession. The specific designs of the floats and the participants may change from year to year, so the recurring format remains the same while individual themes vary.
The festival also includes a straw castle of around 300 square metres, with tunnels, alcoves and caves made from straw bales. Free activities for children include bouncy attractions, climbing, an arts and crafts workshop, and face painting. This means that, alongside the parade, there are also activities specifically for children.
A local king and queen are elected each year; the tradition of electing adults dates back to 1949. On Children’s Day, a children’s king and queen are also elected, a tradition that has been part of the festival since 1955. The two election traditions therefore began in different years and each has its own place in the festival programme.
Getting to the Festival and Finding Accommodation
For guidance on driving to the Harvest Festival, use the Winsen-West exit on the A39 or—if travelling from the south—the Thieshope exit on the A7, then continue via Pattensen. Roadworks and traffic can affect road conditions, so check your route immediately before setting off. As the festival takes place around the first Sunday in September, it is also a good idea to check the exact date for the year in question before making plans.
The festival calendar is a practical starting point when looking for a holiday apartment: decide whether your stay should cover all four festival days or just some of them. Search using your specific travel dates and check whether your preferred accommodation is available for that period.
Culture and Cycle Routes in Winsen (Luhe)
In Winsen (Luhe), the historic Marstall offers a distinct focus on local history and culture. Built around 1600, this half-timbered building houses a permanent exhibition on the history of the region and the town of Winsen, from the Stone Age to the present day. Regional highlights include valuable embroidery and inlay work from the Winsen marshes; multimedia and interactive stations complement the exhibition. Readings and concerts take place in the hall, and the building also houses the tourist information office.
The castle tower of Winsen Castle is also used as an outpost of the museum. An exhibition in the tower explores the Reformation and the Wars of Religion. The Marstall and the castle tower offer different perspectives: the former covers the history of the town and region over a long period, while the latter focuses on the Reformation and the Wars of Religion.
For cyclists, the Luhe Cycle Route is a specific route to consider: it is about 60 kilometres long, has no significant climbs, and runs directly alongside the Luhe Canal to the outskirts of Winsen (Luhe). It continues to ElbuferstraĂźe, where it meets the Elbe Cycle Route. The Elbe Cycle Route, other river cycle routes and regional circular tours also pass through the town of Winsen.
The Winsen Luhe Gardens are a recreational area close to both the town and nature, open to residents and visitors since the 2006 State Garden Show. Winsen (Luhe)’s pedestrianised zone has small shops and cafés.
Discover more destinations: Eversen, Hittfeld, Handeloh, Marschacht, Gödenstorf, Salzhausen, Toppenstedt, Sottorf.
Go to the main travel overview: Harburg.
